Northern Valley league hosts discussion on human trafficking laws

In conjunction with Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle’s (D-37) call for tighter laws on human trafficking in the state, a panel, titled "Stop Human Trafficking Now," was hosted by The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley on Nov. 19.

Huttle, in her opening remarks, said this form of modern day slavery is more prevalent in Bergen County than meets the eye, and with the upcoming 2014 Super Bowl slated to take place at The Meadowlands, the time is now to push for harsher regulation to combat the trafficking which statistically escalates during big sporting events.

"It happens in our communities, in New Jersey," she said citing that 155 calls were made to the New Jersey Human Trafficking Center between January and June 2012.

PREVENTION

Capt. Joseph Rampolla of the Park Ridge Police Department described human trafficking as "the last hidden frontier that has to be tackled," with laws on domestic violence and other forms of exploitation already addressed.

"It’s not an easy thing because it’s not easy to detect," he said. But, he continued, just like calling in a suspicious package left in public, any evidence or suggestion that human trafficking is occurring should be called in.

He said there are certain indicators the general public can learn to recognize to be able to report the crime.

In service and hospitality establishments such as massage parlors, for example, if a citizen notices an employee does not have their own identification, is spoken for by someone else, and has visible marks such as bruises from physical harm or appears as if they have been deprived of basic necessities such as sleep, food, water or medical care, these are all red flags to take note of.

"There is a lifestyle of someone who is coerced or restricted," he points out. "They’re sheltered with no exposure to the world. If you feel like something is odd past the point of someone just being shy, it can be a sign."

All these indicators can be made visible just from daily interactions with those who work in the services.

Andrew Yeager, a certified school psychologist and student assistance counselor in Park Ridge said it’s an "erosion of ethics, values and empathy" that theoretically and maybe even factually make exploitation and abuse more likely than it was in past.

"Tough economic times will always be a factor," he said.

Yeager said there are many ways parents at home can help to ensure their children don’t become victims of trafficking.

Children who are either vulnerable because of a pre-existing condition or exposure to phenomenon such as substance abuse and family dysfunction become easier targets because of their desperation.

Relationships in schools can also cause confusion and feelings of neglect.

"When it comes to unhealthy relationships between teenagers in general, there’s a lot of dysfunction that’s built into the way kids relate to each other," he said. "In a typical high school you have kids with a lot of emotion but not a lot of experience of how to handle it. There is a frightening level of abusive relationships that are filled with jealousy and possessiveness, for example."

Yeager said over time if children start to think that this is the way relationships are, that could leave to a lifetime of being exploited and controlled.

To address the issue, Yeager suggested that parents and teachers be attentive to the behavior of children.

"Depending on the child, it’s not abnormal for kids to be secretive," he said. "There aren’t a lot a lot of teenage boys who talk about who they're in love with. Kids get defensive."

But, if a parent or teacher gets a continuously "bad vibe" from a relationship, the best way to address it, he said, is counseling.